been drawn up and that have to be observed by everyone who seeks to be a member of that Ashram [are as follows]:
The Vow of Truth
Not truth simply as we ordinarily understand it, not truth which merely answers the saying, ‘Honesty is the best policy,’ implying that, if it is not the best policy, we may depart from it. But here Truth as it is conceived means that we have to rule our life by this law of Truth at any cost; and in order to satisfy the definition, I have drawn upon the celebrated illustration of the life of Prahlad. For the sake of Truth as he knew it, he was prepared to die without caring to return the blows that he had received from his father, or from those who were charged with his father ’s instructions. Not only that, he would not in any way even parry the blows; on the contrary, with a smile on his lips, he underwent the innumerable tortures to which he was subjected, with the result that at last Truth prevailed. That fact was there; but if he had died in the midst of tortures, he would still have adhered to Truth.
That is the truth which I would like to follow … in our Ashram we make it a rule that we must say ‘No’ when we mean ‘No’, regardless of consequences.
The Doctrine of Ahimsa
Literally speaking, ahimsa means ‘non-killing’. But to me it has a world of meaning, and takes me into the realms much higher, infinitely higher... Ahimsa really means that you may not offend anybody; you may not harbour an uncharitable thought, even in connection with one who may consider himself to be your enemy. For one who follows this doctrine, there is no room for an enemy...But there are people who consider themselves to be his enemies... So it is held that we may not harbour an evil thought even in connection
Bhavan's Journal,May 15, 2022∎ 13
